Job summary

AWP is seeking a compassionate Senior Practitioner to provide clinical leadership within our Integrated Non-Custodial Service.

Working across police custody, courts and community settings, you will lead the Liaison and Diversion pathway, identifying and supporting people with mental health needs, neurodivergence, learning disabilities, substance misuse issues and other vulnerabilities at their first contact with the criminal justice system. You will provide day-to-day clinical leadership and supervision to a multidisciplinary team while maintaining a clinical caseload. You will oversee trauma-informed screening, assessment, risk management, safeguarding and onward referral, ensuring safe, evidence-based and person-centred practice. Working with police, courts, probation, health, social care and voluntary-sector partners, you will strengthen pathways and continuity of care.

You will be a Registered Mental Health Nurse or registered Social Worker with current professional registration, relevant post-registration experience and knowledge of legislation. You will have experience of complex assessment, care planning, clinical supervision and multi-agency working, supported by strong communication, leadership and analytical skills.Flexibility and frequent travel are required. If you share our PRIDE values and are committed to outstanding care for vulnerable people, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

2.1 Provide day-to-day clinical leadership and oversight of the liaison and diversion pathway. This will include ensuring we have the right processes in place that adhere to safe governance principles and policy.

2.2 Offer clinical supervision and managerial supervision to the Intensive team and other members of the MDT as required

2.3 Develop and disseminate packages of care which may include a variety of evidenced based interventions that work with women

2.4 Hold a clinical caseload as appropriate, with adherence to professional registration as well as attending your own clinical supervision.

2.5 Provide first line support for staff in managing clinical risk and safeguarding concerns ensuring appropriate escalation and multi -agency collaboration.

2.6 Work closely with Team Managers to support effective triage, assessment and allocation of referrals.

About us

We are the lead provider of healthcare for people with serious mental illness, learning disabilities and autism across Bath and North East Somerset (BaNES), Swindon and Wiltshire, and Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

We aim to provide High Quality, Compassionate Care everywhere, every day. This means our services will be safe, clinically effective and provide a positive all round experience for our patients, families and carers. And we believe passionately in treating everyone with kindness, respect and empathy.

Key to this is providing a supportive and safe environment for our 4,000 staff where we all feel welcome and able to do the best we can for those we support. Our staff and teams work incredibly hard delivering services across more than 90 locations, covering 2,200miles, to more than 1.8million people.

At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.

Details

Date posted

05 October 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£49,387 to £56,515 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

342-SS129-1026

Job locations

Gablecross Police Station

Swindon

SN3 4RB

United Kingdom

Job description

Job responsibilities

1.1 Provide inclusive, compassionate and effective leadership for your team by setting clear vision and direction.

1.2 Develop a culture and environment in which members of staff are encouraged and supported to deliver high- quality services and are supported to innovate and improve services where appropriate.

1.3 Encourage your team to feel able to raise concerns openly and safely.

1.4 Promote equality of opportunity in service delivery and employment, ensuring that no person receives less favourable treatment than another on the grounds of gender, marital status, race, religion, creed, colour nationality ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation or disability.

1.5 Support prompt recruitment by identifying vacancies to the AWP Recruitment Team as soon as they arise, and participate in the selection and effective induction and onboarding of new joiners to the team.

1.6 Ensure that all team members have a very positive introduction to the team and a well-supported first year.

1.7 Take responsibility for encouraging people to stay with AWP, ensuring that you are aware whenever a member of your team is considering leaving, seeking to understand their reasons and encouraging them to stay.

1.8 Ensure that key messages are cascaded in your team and that your team are encouraged to put forward suggestions.

1.9 Show appreciation to your team when they do good work and support them when they are struggling.

1.10 Consider the individual needs of team members for a healthy work-life balance and think about how their needs can be supported by providing flexible ways of working.

1.11 Support all team members to keep their mandatory and statutory training up-to-date and identify the learning and development needs of all team members of the team ensuring that everyone has an up-to-date personal development plan (PDP).

1.12 Ensure that every team member as at least an hour of supervision (one-to-one meeting) each month, this may include both managerial and clinical supervision.

1.13 Ensure all team members receive a constructive assessment of their performance each year and set SMART objectives for the coming year.

Job description Job responsibilities 1.1 Provide inclusive, compassionate and effective leadership for your team by setting clear vision and direction. 1.2 Develop a culture and environment in which members of staff are encouraged and supported to deliver high- quality services and are supported to innovate and improve services where appropriate. 1.3 Encourage your team to feel able to raise concerns openly and safely. 1.4 Promote equality of opportunity in service delivery and employment, ensuring that no person receives less favourable treatment than another on the grounds of gender, marital status, race, religion, creed, colour nationality ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation or disability. 1.5 Support prompt recruitment by identifying vacancies to the AWP Recruitment Team as soon as they arise, and participate in the selection and effective induction and onboarding of new joiners to the team. 1.6 Ensure that all team members have a very positive introduction to the team and a well-supported first year. 1.7 Take responsibility for encouraging people to stay with AWP, ensuring that you are aware whenever a member of your team is considering leaving, seeking to understand their reasons and encouraging them to stay. 1.8 Ensure that key messages are cascaded in your team and that your team are encouraged to put forward suggestions. 1.9 Show appreciation to your team when they do good work and support them when they are struggling. 1.10 Consider the individual needs of team members for a healthy work-life balance and think about how their needs can be supported by providing flexible ways of working. 1.11 Support all team members to keep their mandatory and statutory training up-to-date and identify the learning and development needs of all team members of the team ensuring that everyone has an up-to-date personal development plan (PDP). 1.12 Ensure that every team member as at least an hour of supervision (one-to-one meeting) each month, this may include both managerial and clinical supervision. 1.13 Ensure all team members receive a constructive assessment of their performance each year and set SMART objectives for the coming year.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• 1.Registered MENTAL Health Nurse (RMN) OR Registered Social worker (CQSW or DipSW)
• 2.Current relevant Registration ie NMC Social Work England.
• 3.Significant evidence of post registration professional development

Desirable

• 1.Leadership or management qualification

Experience

Essential

• 1.Substantial post registration experience gained working in front line services
• 3.Experience of providing clinical supervision to colleagues
• 4.Experience of mentoring and assessing students
• 9.Significant experience of complex assessment, risk management and care planning in complex need

Knowledge

Essential

• 2.Detailed and advanced knowledge of relevant legislation/ legal frameworks including Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act and safeguarding
• 7.Demonstrates a highly developed understanding of the principles of recovery and the role of secondary mental health services in the delivery of care and able to show how this has been delivered in practice

Desirable

• 7.Demonstrates a highly developed understanding of the principles of recovery and the role of secondary mental health services in the delivery of care and able to show how this has been delivered in practice

Skills

Essential

• 1.Teaching and training Skills
• 2.Highly developed communication skills both verbal and written with the ability to engage effectively with people at all levels even when a more assertive approach is needed.

Desirable

• 1.Research Skills

Person Specification Qualifications Essential 1.Registered MENTAL Health Nurse (RMN) OR Registered Social worker (CQSW or DipSW) 2.Current relevant Registration ie NMC Social Work England. 3.Significant evidence of post registration professional development Desirable 1.Leadership or management qualification Experience Essential 1.Substantial post registration experience gained working in front line services 3.Experience of providing clinical supervision to colleagues 4.Experience of mentoring and assessing students 9.Significant experience of complex assessment, risk management and care planning in complex need Knowledge Essential 2.Detailed and advanced knowledge of relevant legislation/ legal frameworks including Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act and safeguarding 7.Demonstrates a highly developed understanding of the principles of recovery and the role of secondary mental health services in the delivery of care and able to show how this has been delivered in practice Desirable 7.Demonstrates a highly developed understanding of the principles of recovery and the role of secondary mental health services in the delivery of care and able to show how this has been delivered in practice Skills Essential 1.Teaching and training Skills 2.Highly developed communication skills both verbal and written with the ability to engage effectively with people at all levels even when a more assertive approach is needed. Desirable 1.Research Skills

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions. Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab). From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab). UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

Address

Gablecross Police Station

Swindon

SN3 4RB

United Kingdom

Employer's website

http://www.awp.nhs.uk/about-us/working-for-us/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

Address

Gablecross Police Station

Swindon

SN3 4RB

United Kingdom

Employer's website

http://www.awp.nhs.uk/about-us/working-for-us/ (Opens in a new tab)